Geographical Region: North America

March Ent., the company behind the animated series CHILLY BEACH, announced it will hire 50 more people in the immediate future, reports NorthernLife.com.

Dan Hawes, president of March Ent., says the offices in downtown Sudbury, Canada will house more than 100 employees in the new year to tackle new animation projects that have attracted international attention.

On the promotional trail in Europe for the LAND OF THE DEAD DVD, George A. Romero has been talking up the possibility for a sequel to his 2005 zombie epic. After a lackluster performance in the U.S. this summer, the prospects for a follow-up looked dim. However, U.S. DVD sales as well as big theatrical receipts in Europe and Japan have spurred Universal Pictures to start talks with Romero on a follow-up. The father of the modern zombie picture will pick up the story where the original left off with the survivors heading to Canada.

The Algoma, Canada city council will look into the feasibility of building an adjacent Animation Centre to the Art Gallery Of Algoma, reports LTV.com. Gallery curator, Michael Burtch has championed the idea of a gallery of donated animation cels worth several million dollars from several cartoon series including SUPER DAVE OSBORNE and other successful Canadian productions. A study conducted in March said that a center of sufficient size and scale could draw tourists to the city. Councilor Steve Butland has put forth a resolution to create a task force to help develop a plan for the center.

Electronic Arts and Digital Illusions announced that the expansion pack for the award-winning BATTLEFIELD 2 PC game are now shipping to retail outlets and available via download at www.downloader.ea.com. Powered by the BATTLEFIELD 2 game engine, BATTLEFIELD 2: SPECIAL FORCES brings players into the realm of covert ops with the latest, most technologically advanced vehicles and weapons systems.

Atari Inc. and Marathon Animation have released the TOTALLY SPIES! videogame to U.S. stores for the Game Boy Advance. This is the first game based on the TOTALLY SPIES! hit animated TV series that stars three teen super-spies from Beverly Hills, who fight international crime. Airing since 2001, Totally Spies! is seen in more than 100 markets worldwide, including the Cartoon Network in the USA.

The Korea Culture & Content Agency (KOCCA) has set Dec. 9, 2005, to launch the organizations annual DARI Awards ceremony, honoring entertainment executives and companies for outstanding contributions in advancing the culture of Korea within the U.S. market. Created by KOCCA and the Korean Cultural Center of Los Angeles (KCCLA), the annual DARI Awards (DARI is Korean for bridge) will also showcase work produced by events recipients.

IMAX Corp. and Warner Bros. Pictures announced that HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE: THE IMAX EXPERIENCE shattered every record for an IMAX Hollywood simultaneous release. In its debut at 66 North American IMAX theaters, the film posted the biggest three-day opening ever, beating the previous record by more than 30%, with an estimated $2.93 million over the period ended Nov. 20, for a per-screen average of more than $44,000.

With the sad news of the passing of famed producer Derek Lamb and animator Wendy Jackson Hall, ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE will be publishing a tribute story to both individuals in December. Lamb started his animation career with the National Film Board of Canada in the 1960s. He worked extensively as a writer, director and producer in Canada, the U.S. and Europe, both in commercial and experimental film. Jackson Hall was part of the early core of AWN and ANIMATION WORLD MAGAZINE and went on to champion animation as an animator, teacher and writer.

California State University, Chico has purchased 100 seats of Bauhaus Softwareâs Mirage product. Integrated directly into the universityâs graphics and animation curriculum, Mirage will enable students to learn classical and modern 2D animation, in a completely paperless environment.

10th Annual Arizona State University Art Museum Short Film and Video FestivalTempe, Arizona, USAApril 15, 2006Deadline: February 10, 2006

Sponsored by the Arizona State University Art Museum, the Arizona State University Art Museum Short Film and Video Festival highlights the best in short subjects. The event is free to enter and no paper work is needed. The screening of the films will take place at the museum with the exact date announced later in the year. For more information visit asuartmuseum.asu.edu/filmfest/.

Tonronto-based companies Comet Ent. Inc. & BBI Computers Telecommunications have signed a joint venture for the development of several business opportunities including:

* Distribution of Olympic licensed products for the upcoming Olympic games.* Distribution and promotion of sports events merchandise.* Promotion of Olympic athletes.* Promotion of Greek participation in AMERICAS CUP.* Marketing campaign for the promotion of the Greek Film industry.* Creation and development of the animation industry in Greece.

DIC Ent. (DIC) reports a raft of deals with an extensive roster of key international broadcasters and pay TV channels concluded from the close of MIPCOM 2005 for animated programming, led by TROLLZ, STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE, SABRINA: THE ANIMATED SERIES, TOTALLY SONIC and more.

Activision Inc. and DreamWorks Animation SKG jointly announced that the companies have agreed to a new long-term, broad-based strategic alliance. The companies signed a multi-year agreement, which grants Activision the exclusive videogame rights to upcoming feature films from DreamWorks Animation.

AOL and Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution are collaborating to form a new broadband network in early 2006. The network, called In2TV (on AOL.com), will give consumers access to thousands of episodes from popular TV series to stream on demand for free on the Web, including full-length episodes from favorite series such as WELCOME BACK KOTTER, SISTERS, BEETLEJUICE, LOIS & CLARK, LA FEMME NIKITA and GROWING PAINS. Along with full-length episodes, In2TV will also include interactive features such as games, quizzes, polls, trivia contests and more.

Christie Digital Systems now has a competitor, as Thomsons Services division has reached digital cinema usage agreements with DreamWorks, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. to accelerate the deployment of digital cinema systems in North America. In addition, the company is in late stage negotiations with Twentieth Century Fox, New Line Cinema, and The Weinstein Co., and expects these studios to be part of the initial deployment.

The 3rd Director's Cut contest will be screening the 10 entrants to a panel of established directors, film critics, agents and celebrity guests. Attendees will get to network with the panel. It will be hosted at The Gallery, 7 East 27th Street New York, New York. Please RSVP as numbers are limited. Admission fee is $10.

The NBC Universal Entertainment Associate Program is now accepting new candidates for the 2006 class that offers career development opportunities for external and internal applicants interested in creative entertainment programming.

Jeff Zucker, president, NBC Universal Television Group, said, "We are extremely proud of the Entertainment Associate Program and the top creative executives it has produced throughout the years and we look forward to recruiting talented future programmers for our 2006 class of Entertainment Associates."

In just one week of release, STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH on DVD and the STAR WARS BATTLEFRONT II videogame brought in sales of $210 million in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia and Latin America, capping a record-breaking year for the STAR WARS franchise.

The two newest STAR WARS home entertainment releases debut in four more major international markets through Nov. 23.

In November, TELETOON steps it up a notch with a month-long KAPOW! extravaganza, starting with the Canadian premiere of the new series, ALIEN RACERS. KAPOW is TELETOON's all action, Saturday morning lineup, which runs from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon.

Director/animator/producer/composer Derek Lamb passed away Nov. 5, 2005, in Washington after a long battle with cancer. His wife Tracie Smart was at his side.

Lamb started his animation career with the National Film Board of Canada in the 1960s. He worked extensively as a writer, director and producer in Canada, the U.S. and Europe, both in commercial and experimental film.

YTV has announces its November 2005 lineup, which features the debut of an all-new episode of SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, Have You Seen This Snail?

Leading up to the premiere, YTV celebrates with two SPONGEBOB programming events, starting on Sunday, Nov. 13 from 8:00 am to 11:00 am, with back-to-back non-stop episodes of viewer favorites. Followed by The Zone on Monday, Nov. 14 where co-hosts Sugar and Carlos introduce back-to-back episodes dedicated to SpongeBobs special pet, Gary the Snail, from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.

Activision Inc. has shipped CALL OF DUTY 2: BIG RED ONE to stores nationwide. Developed by Treyarch, the game allows players to put on the boots of the highly decorated WWII heroes of the U.S. Army's famed Fighting 1st Infantry Division, known as The Big Red One. In a departure for the CALL OF DUTY franchise, players will get to know their squadmates more than ever before as they fight alongside a single squad to accomplish a variety of missions spanning from Northern Africa to Nazi-occupied Western Europe.